Pacific storm brings badly needed rain to San Diego County while making commute tough for drivers

by Gary Robbins, Caleb Lunetta

An early season storm lashed San Diego County with fierce winds Tuesday while also dropping enough rain to significantly reduce the risk of wildfire in a region experiencing a lengthy drought, the National Weather Service says.

The winds gusted upwards of 40 mph — much higher than expected — from San Diego International Airport and Mission Hills to Miramar, San Marcos and Cuyamaca Peak.

The rain was more gentle, pushing ashore in North County in late morning, then spreading to the south and the east, often in the form of swirling mist.

A kiteboarder comes in at San Elijo State Beach Tuesday in Encinitas. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Through late afternoon, Palomar Mountain recorded 0.89 inches of rain, while Camp Pendleton got 0.77 inches and Rancho Bernardo reported 0.69 inches. San Diego International Airport got 0.39 inches, close to the 0.50 inches it averages for the entire month of October.

The rainy weather caused a number of issues for drivers on San Diego County roads, from spinouts to crashes to flooding.

Traffic backs up on southbound Interstate 805 in Sorrento Valley during a steady rain Tuesday. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

According to California Highway Patrol officers, high water levels in the inside lanes of southbound traffic on Interstate 5 near state Route 163 forced traffic into the outer lanes. Around 3:50 p.m., at least eight vehicles were involved in a single crash, causing possible injuries to a child on north Interstate 805 near Balboa Avenue, CHP officials said.

Between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., online CHP logs showed reports of at least 50 other crashes and traffic hazards on San Diego County highways and freeways, bringing traffic to a grinding halt leading into rush hour Tuesday.

A person walking a dog crosses Ash Street under dark clouds on Tuesday in San Diego. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

“We usually don’t get storms like this so early in October,” said Chandler Price, a weather service forecaster. “This is usually when the Santa Ana winds start.”

The storm formed in the ocean off to the west-northwest, creating an atmospheric river that brought rain and winds to Southern California starting late Monday.

“It brought very beneficial rain that will suppress the risk of major wildfires for weeks,” said Marty Ralph, a researcher at UC San Diego’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes. “The moisture will sink into the soil and cause plants to green up.

“Rain of this magnitude could reduce risk for the rest of the wildfire season,” he added.